The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-08-11
GULL VERSUS GRIZZLY.
A Terrific Battle for Whose End
the Vuitures Waited.

neahiy Work Of the Bulls Horns and the
isear,s Claws and Teeth--Inter ,ed
Spectators on Earth and In Air.
Il belonged Ia the engineer corps
that surveyed the route for the North
''etri eatiEiT railroad said Amos X. N.
. Smith, now Of Jersey City "and one
,lay, while seeking a little recreation, l
was irwtncks of scene in wild West
ern life which, have no doubt there are
plenty Of people would travel far TO see
if il could ouly be reproduced, but
which wouldn't be spectator of
again for a good many round gold
dollars.
Il left our camp at Young Mems
Bu6tes one day in July to try my luck
NJ trout fishing in the head waters of
Biz Heart river, u small stream five
miles from camp. The weather had
been hot and dry for some time, and
when | got overto the river found tho
head waters were not much better than
dry land, all the moisture / could find
being little puddles here and there in
tue he'd. The only water likely to be
found in that quarter with fish in ii
was the Big Cannon Ball river, and
that was twenty miles away. so l
conclnlcd that the best thing for mc
10 do would he to march right back
to camp. There was heavy
,llicket along the north bank of the
stream, some distance above where l
came out on the dry bed, and a few
cottonwood trees standing may be a
hundred yards back from the bank. As
] turned TO rctrace my steps saw
small lmrd'of wild cattle standing of
10 my right. Among them was young
bull, and n more splendid specimen of
m animal | never saw He and the
scst of the cattle were eying me with
,rspicious curiosity. / didn't like the
: 9pearance Of the bull, for he had
way of lowering his head throwing
dirt with his fore feet. and uttering an
oniinous sort of below that seemed
Threatening. / turned and walked
away, moving toward the cottonwood
frees looked back over my shoulder
ard saw the bull coming along after
nc. Increased my speed, and so did
he. until was running my fastest and
the bull was doing his best behind me.
CANT say exactly how it was done.
lint it wasn't many seconds before |
found myself in one of those cotton
wood trees. out of reach of the bull,
who was Immediately under the tree,
paving dirt and acting very mad.
shall always believe that l was hoisted
into that tree by the bull, although /
had no evidence to show for it.
1.-The bull paved and grumbled in
under the tree for a few minutes, and
then turned and walked toward the
ihicbct. on the creek side of which
there was water hole. The other cat
tie went Quietly to grazing where had
first seen them.
Il suppose the bull started toward the
ibicketto get drink at the water hole,
iut henever got the drink. | saw him
rush his way into the thicket, and the
isrxt instant | could see that he had got
into trouble of some kind, and that
trouble proved TO be a grizzly bear. A
Iprce struggle followed in the thicket.
rhc tops of the bushes swayed to and
fro, and could hear the heavy crash of
dtiftwood as the two powerful animals
Writhed in fierce embrace. A cloud of
CAST rolled up from the spot. twas not
distant over one hundred yards from
The tree in which ! had taken refuge.
Scarcely two minutes elapsed before
the bull broke through the bushes. His
head was covered with blood, and great
flakes Of flesh hung from his fore shout
ders. But instead of showing any
signs If defeat he seemed literally to
glow with defiant rage. Instinct had
SIMPLY prompted him in his retreat to
seek an open space. He was 1.-THE and
why, yet wonderfully massive about
the shoulders. combining the rarest
qualities of strength and symmetry.
For moment he stood glaring at the
bushes he had retreated from, his nos
tiils distendel, and his whole form
fixed and rigid. But scarcely had
time to note all this when the bear, a
huge. rcpulsive-looking brute, broke
through the opening. He was the most
formidable specimen of his kind | had
ever seen. and my sympathies We're at
once with the bull, in spite of bis bel
ligercnt attitude toward ME few min
utos before, but 1 had my serious doubts
about the final result Of the combat
that began at once.
That combat was a trial of brute
force that no words Of shine are AIDE,
osate to describe. When the bear
made his appearance out of the thicket
tne ball did not wait for his contest
aut's charge, hut, lowering his great
head to the ground. he rushed madly
upon the bear. The latter seemed "a
appreciate the abilities of the bull, and
summoned all the wariness of his ma
Iilrcfo bis aid. He waited until the
bull was almost upon him, and then